Fructose and its byproduct uric acid may play a role in the development of Alzheimer’s, thanks to an evolutionary adaptation hijacked by the modern diet. Fructose can be directly consumed, or the body can convert high-glycemic carbohydrates and other foods to fructose. Fructose suppresses some cognitive functions. Dr. Richard Johnson and Dr. Rob Lustig discuss a new study, of which Johnson was an author, on how fructose may be a potential driver in Alzheimer’s, and they hypothesize about fructose’s potential connection to the development of other conditions.

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🎙 What Richard Johnson, MD, & Rob Lustig, MD, discuss:

(00:00) — Intro

(10:17) — Fructose is the driver of some diseases that are on the rise in kids

(12:16) — Fructose is a driver of obesity and metabolic syndrome

(15:56) — Pharmaceutical treatments for Alzheimer’s disease aren’t as effective as researchers had hoped

(17:40)— The research focus of Alzheimer’s is slowly shifting to understanding insulin resistance in the brain

(21:45) — Is fructose a root cause of Alzheimer’s?

(26:27) — New research suggests fructose induces a foraging response

(28:20) — Fructose inhibits areas of the brain to encourage successful foraging

(46:36) — We need more research on fructose

(1:02:51) —Is fructose a factor in violence?

⁠Transcripts & Show notes⁠

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🔗 LINKS:

Could Alzheimer’s disease be a maladaptation of an evolutionary survival pathway mediated by intracerebral fructose and uric acid metabolism?: ⁠https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002916523000047?dgcid=author⁠

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